# Kentucky SB 4: AN ACT relating to education and declaring an emergency. Kentucky SB 4, AN ACT relating to education and declaring an emergency., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Stephen West (Republican); status became law, last action 2026-04-14 (delivered to Secretary of State (Acts Ch. 154)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB4-2026RS - As of: 2026-11-01 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Kentucky SB 4 - State: Kentucky - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: AN ACT relating to education and declaring an emergency. - Status: became law - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-01-27 - Last action: 2026-04-14, delivered to Secretary of State (Acts Ch. 154) - Sponsor: Stephen West (Republican) - Cosponsors: 8 - Subjects: Administrative Regulations And Proceedings, Education, Elementary And Secondary, Reports Mandated, State Agencies, Teachers - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 6 (320 yes, 70 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 11 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Kentucky university gains independent civics center: benefit, low. The law creates the Center of American Civics as an independent academic unit at the University of Kentucky. Its work includes civic education, respectful public discussion, civic participation, and nonpartisan civic resources. Center funds and donations are reserved for its operation under the law… - McConnell Center gains independent academic role: benefit, low. The McConnell Center becomes an independent academic unit at the University of Louisville. It can hire faculty and staff, enroll students, offer undergraduate majors and minors, and provide courses, internships, and events. The university must provide adequate office space if none exists. Starting… - School employees face board service limits: cost, low. Kentucky school board employees cannot serve on a large district’s board if their jobs require more than 100 workdays yearly. Members elected or appointed before the new eligibility rules take effect remain eligible to finish their existing terms. They cannot seek election or appointment, or serve… - Seven-member school boards shrink to five: cost, low. The law removes the seven-member board exception for merged districts in counties containing a first-class city. In districts with seven members when the transition section takes effect, existing terms end December 31, 2026. Five members are elected at the next regular election after that section t… - New paths and limits for principals: mixed, medium. The law removes the required principal internship, but applicants still need an approved preparation program and required tests. Applicants receive a five-year statement of eligibility. Without principal employment during that time, they must pass current tests to regain eligibility. For the first… - School leaders face yearly training requirements: mixed, medium. School leaders must complete at least 21 hours of leadership training each year. Covered jobs include principals, assistant principals, guidance counselors, special education directors, and other certified administrators. Principals can count practicum hours earned that year if they submit the hour… - New principals get structured leadership training: mixed, low. Beginning July 1, 2027, Kentucky starts a four-year leadership program for new public-school principals. The first group, for the 2027–2028 school year, includes principals with less than one year of experience. Years one and two require professional learning and mentoring; year three offers summer… - College civics materials must cover key texts: mixed, low. The two university centers must develop and send government or history course materials to every Kentucky public college. The materials support a degree-program course worth at least three semester hours, or the equivalent. Required content includes the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, an… - New maps guide school board representation: mixed, low. Jefferson County has five school board divisions, and candidates must live in the division they seek to represent. The map uses county clerk precinct codes and boundaries as of March 19, 2026. Election officials must place omitted precincts or parts in neighboring divisions, make minimal changes, a… - School election options change local costs: mixed, low. Some independent school districts can choose an election at a public school on the first Saturday in May instead of November. This option applies to districts including a city classified as fifth class on January 1, 2014. District funds must pay for a chosen May election. The law also removes the p… - Public entities can spread insurance deficit payments: mixed, low. Kentucky public entities can finance assessments covering accrued deficits in liability or workers’ compensation self-insurance groups over up to 20 years. This applies to current and former participants in qualifying groups. Financing options include bonds, notes, leases, installment agreements, a… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Stephen West (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Donald Douglas (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: David P. Givens (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Gerald A. Neal (Democrat), Senate - Cosponsor: Lindsey Tichenor (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Matthew Deneen (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Mike Wilson (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Max Wise (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Robby Mills (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-14 | House | passed | pass | 78 | 19 | | | 2026-04-14 | Senate | passed | pass | 30 | 8 | | | 2026-04-01 | House | passed | pass | 72 | 21 | | | 2026-04-01 | Senate | passed | pass | 28 | 7 | | | 2026-03-20 | House | 3rd reading, passed | pass | 74 | 15 | | | 2026-02-09 | Senate | 3rd reading, passed | pass | 38 | 0 | | ## Actions (68) - 2026-04-14: delivered to Secretary of State (Acts Ch. 154) - 2026-04-14: enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House (House) - 2026-04-14: enrolled, signed by President of the Senate (House) - 2026-04-14: passed 78-19 (House) - 2026-04-14: veto overridden (House) - 2026-04-14: posted for consideration of Governor's veto - 2026-04-14: taken from Rules (H) (House) - 2026-04-14: to Rules (H) (House) - 2026-04-14: received in House (House) - 2026-04-14: passed 30-8 (Senate) - 2026-04-14: veto overridden (Senate) - 2026-04-14: posted for passage for consideration of Governor's veto - 2026-04-14: to Rules (S) (Senate) - 2026-04-14: received in Senate (Senate) - 2026-04-13: Vetoed - 2026-04-01: delivered to Governor - 2026-04-01: enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House (Senate) - 2026-04-01: enrolled, signed by President of the Senate (Senate) - 2026-04-01: passed 28-7 (Senate) - 2026-04-01: Free Conference Committee report adopted in Senate (Senate) - 2026-04-01: Committee Report (Senate) - 2026-04-01: posted for passage for consideration of Free Conference (Senate) - 2026-04-01: taken from Rules (Senate) - 2026-04-01: to Rules (S) (Senate) - 2026-04-01: received in Senate (Senate) - 2026-04-01: passed 72-21 (House) - 2026-04-01: Free Conference Committee report adopted in House (House) - 2026-04-01: Committee Report (House) - 2026-04-01: posted for passage for consideration of Free Conference (House) - 2026-04-01: Free Conference Committee report filed in House and Senate (House) - 2026-04-01: Free Conference Committee appointed in House and Senate (House) - 2026-04-01: Conference Committee report adopted in House and Senate (House) - 2026-04-01: Conference Committee report filed in House and Senate (House) - 2026-03-25: Conference Committee appointed in House and Senate (House) - 2026-03-25: Floor Amendment (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title) (House) - 2026-03-25: House refused to recede from Committee Substitute (1), (House) - 2026-03-25: placed in the Orders of the Day (House) - 2026-03-25: taken from Rules (House) - 2026-03-24: to Rules (H) (House) - 2026-03-24: received in House (House) - 2026-03-24: (1), Floor Amendment (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title) (House) - 2026-03-24: Senate refused to concur in House Committee Substitute (House) - 2026-03-24: (1-title) (House) - 2026-03-24: Substitute (1), Floor Amendment (1) and Committee Amendment (House) - 2026-03-24: posted for passage for concurrence in House Committee (House) - 2026-03-24: taken from Rules (Senate) - 2026-03-24: to Rules (S) (Senate) - 2026-03-24: received in Senate (Senate) - 2026-03-20: Floor Amendment (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title) (House) - 2026-03-20: 3rd reading, passed 74-15 with Committee Substitute (1), (House) - 2026-03-19: Friday, March 20 2026 (House) - 2026-03-19: posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for (House) - 2026-03-19: floor amendment (1) filed to Committee Substitute (House) - 2026-03-19: 2nd reading, to Rules (House) - 2026-03-18: Substitute (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title) (House) - 2026-03-18: reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee (House) - 2026-03-05: to Primary and Secondary Education (H) (House) - 2026-02-10: to Committee on Committees (H) (House) - 2026-02-10: received in House (House) - 2026-02-09: 3rd reading, passed 38-0 with Committee Substitute (1) (Senate) - 2026-02-06: Monday, February 09 2026 (Senate) - 2026-02-06: posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for (Senate) - 2026-02-06: 2nd reading, to Rules (Senate) - 2026-02-05: Substitute (1) (Senate) - 2026-02-05: reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee (Senate) - 2026-01-28: to Education (S) (Senate) - 2026-01-27: to Committee on Committees (S) (Senate) - 2026-01-27: introduced in Senate (Senate) ## Bill text - Current, 2026-04-14: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/sb4/bill.pdf) - Introduced, 2026-01-27: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/sb4/orig_bill.pdf) ## Related bills - SB 197: AN ACT providing funding and establishing conditions for state government agencies and institutions, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring an emergen… (became law) - SB 133: AN ACT relating to the fiscal reporting of local entities. (signed) - HB 869: AN ACT relating to fiscal matters and declaring an emergency. (signed) - SB 66: AN ACT relating to the operation of a motor vehicle. (signed) - HB 826: AN ACT relating to education. (signed) - HB 727: AN ACT relating to education and declaring an emergency. (signed) ## Sources - [Current (PDF)](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/sb4/bill.pdf) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/sb4/orig_bill.pdf) ## Related - [SB 197: AN ACT providing funding and establishing conditions for state government agenc…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB197-2026RS) - [SB 133: AN ACT relating to the fiscal reporting of local entities.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB133-2026RS) - [HB 869: AN ACT relating to fiscal matters and declaring an emergency.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB869-2026RS) - [SB 66: AN ACT relating to the operation of a motor vehicle.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB66-2026RS) - [HB 826: AN ACT relating to education.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB826-2026RS) - [HB 727: AN ACT relating to education and declaring an emergency.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB727-2026RS) - [Kentucky bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/kentucky/bills) - [Kentucky state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/kentucky) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB4-2026RS (as of 2026-11-01).